1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a turbine engine and, more particularly, to an assembly for mounting a turbine engine to an aircraft airframe.
2. Background Information
A turbine engine may include an annular flexible seal extending axially between an engine core and an engine exhaust. The flexible seal may accommodate axial, transverse and/or angular shifting between the core and the exhaust without significant axial and/or radial load transfer therebetween. Such shifts between the core and the exhaust may occur during certain operating conditions such as high impact landings, severe turbulence, etc. To maintain this structural independence, the core and the exhaust are typically separately mounted to an aircraft airframe respectively using a core thrust pin and an exhaust thrust pin. The core thrust pin connects and extends radially between the core and the airframe. The exhaust thrust pin connects and extends radially between the exhaust and the airframe.
During turbine engine operation, the core subjects the core thrust pin and the connected airframe to an axial core thrust load in a first axial direction. The core may also subject the exhaust to a portion of this thrust load due to, for example, drag against inner walls of the exhaust and/or against a variable flow exhaust nozzle at an aft end of the exhaust. The exhaust therefore may subject the exhaust thrust pin and the connected airframe to an axial drag thrust load in a second axial direction that is opposite the first axial direction. Subjecting the airframe to both of these opposing axial thrust loads may significantly increase internal stresses within the airframe, which may require airframe over-engineering and increased airframe weight.